Never Trust What You Know
by Sirena
Summary: Daine sets out for an early morning hunt, but she is the one who ends up being hunted, PLEASE R/R
1. Default Chapter

*Disclaimer: all character belong to Tamora Pierce

****

A Rude Awakening

Daine had decided to let Numair sleep and get some extra hunting in this morning before they set out. From the way he had talked last night, they would be walking till they dropped, and she dad no wish to do her hunting in the dead of night after a long day. 

She had wandered into a small patch of trees not two hundred yards from their camp. Suddenly she felt a twinge on the edge of her magical radar; she fad felt that many times before, Stormwings. Daine had not seen a stormwing in several months, not since the conclusion of the Immortals War. She had no way of knowing whether these Stormwings would be friendly or not. As she felt their approach she placed a bolt in her bow, knelt down next to the tree, and waited. Soon she saw a flock of about fifteen Stormwings coming straight at her. 

They came to land at the edge of the clearing just beyond the trees. Cocking her head, Daine peered through the breaks in the trees to see if she could recognize any of the Stormwings. But what she saw merely caused her to fall over with shock.

Standing at the head of the group, also peering through the trees stood Rikash, she knew him by the bones that always adorned his hair. "But how could this be," she thought. Rikash had been killed in the battle of Port Legann. Yet there he stood, softly calling her name.

"Daine, Daine is that you, I need your help, please." Slowly Daine lowered her bow, stood up, and walked out of the cover of the trees. "Rikash," she said bewildered, "what happened I thought you were dead." All this time she had been slowly moving toward him, so when she stopped she was about a foot in front of him. But she had not noticed the other Stormwings closing a circle around her until she felt the sharp, cold steel on her arms.

Suddenly Rikash thrust his razor wing tip under her chin, drawing a shallow cut along her throat. His voice changed, it became darker and his mouth cracked in a wicked smile. "I told you we'd have no trouble, this one's just like any other, trusts too much to what she sees, not what is."

The other Stormwings had thrown a net over her. She tried to struggle, but the net cut her, more than that, it seemed to be draining her. "Rikash," she gasped. "What are you doing?!" 

Rikash threw back his head and howled with laughter, as did the other Stormwings around him. "Rikash!" The Stormwing snapped his head down and glared at her, "don't mention that soppy, soft brother of mine. He spent his days kissing filthy human shoes just so he could live another day." He spat on the ground. "He chose to stay and fight with you filthy humans rather than join the rest of his kind under Ozorne's protection. But be assured little one, I am not so foolish."

Now Daine was terrified, something in the way he mentioned Ozorne's name installed in her an acute sense of terror. In one desperate attempt to escape she tried shape shifting. First she tried hawk, but still found herself trapped by the net. Next she tried a garden snake, still she was not able to free herself.

By the time she had regained her human form she had lost her cloths and the badger claw she wore on a chain around her neck. She was dimly aware of the laughter of the Stormwings as she groped for the claw. If she found it she could call on her friend the badger god who had given her the claw in the first place for help. But it was gone and the effort of touching the net was draining her to the point where she was ready to pass out, and she did, just as she felt the net underneath her being lifted up. 

+++

A cloaked and hooded figure watched the reflection of a floor to ceiling mirror. In it, the tall, lanky man who was Numair Salmalin clumsily rise out of his bedroll. Numair put his lips, but for the figure watching him the call was a barely audible whisper, "Daine, Daine!"

The figure watched as Numair, dazed by sleep, stumbled off in search of her. The cloaked figure leaned back into the shadows and some where within the dark recesses of his hood cracked a wicked grin.

+-+

Author's note:

Ok guys, what do you think, good, bad, insane, let me know.


	2. Unwanted Reunions

****

Unwanted Reunions

When Numair had woken, he'd been surprised to find Daine gone. He knew that she sometimes wandered off in search of her animal friends, but she was usually so careful about making sure all her things were packed away. And if he was sleeping, or away when she left she usually left some sort of note or sign as to where she had gone.

But this morning there was on note and her bedroll lay tangled in a heap on the ground. Some how he sensed something was wrong. So, shaking his head to clear it of sleep, he stumbled back over to his pack to fish out his shirt and a new pair of breeches, his present ones wrinkled from rolling to and fro in his sleep.

Once he'd managed to properly clothe himself, Daine still hadn't come back. Numair looked around unsure. He had no idea where to start looking for her. Tracking was something that Daine always did, and he'd never bothered to pay much attention when she did. Now he was on his own. "Ok," Numair thought out loud, rubbing his hands in anticipation. "What's something that might indicate where she went." 

But before the words had even left his mouth, he knew they were a false hope, Daine was to careful about covering her tracks to have left any sign behind. Then another thought came to him _Focus! _With a renewed hope he brought his hand over to his wrist. But his hopes were dashed yet again when his hand met only cloth on his wrist. Silently he cursed himself for forgetting that he'd left it on his worktable back in his room in the palace. Not wanting it to get dropped into the chemicals he'd been working with, he'd set it aside and it had been so late when he'd finished that he'd completely forgotten about everything other than his bed and sleep.

Shrugging his shoulders in annoyance, Numair decided that the only two options he had left were to [a] sit here and wait until Daine came back, or [b] go out and look for her as best he could. On the whole he preferred option b, as he'd always preferred action to laying in wait, and this morning he felt no different. So, shoving his hair out of his face, he started for the grove of trees to his left, which seemed to have the most sunlight, which would have made it logical for Daine to have headed that way. 

Once he got there stopped and closed his eyes and listened. He heard a great deal of commotion up in the trees from the birds and squirrels, but other than that, he heard nothing. 

Upon reaching the edge of the grove, he spotted something he could not mistake, Daine's bow. This was surely not a good sign. Daine's father, the god Weiryn had given her this bow, and Daine cherished it. There would have had to be a very serious justification for Daine to have just left it on the ground unprotected. Picking the bow up, he straightened and almost immediately tripped over something. When he looked down he discovered that the cause of his near crash was Daine's cloths. He bent over to examine the rumpled heap; he found all her cloths, her badger claw necklace, and underneath all that, a single steal feather.

+++

Daine opened her eyes when she felt her head hit something hard. When she lifted her head her vision blurred and she ached all over. Shaking her head to clear her vision, she found that only made her more dizzy and achy, placing her palms to her eyes, she steadied herself. When she felt more under control she looked up again, only to find herself in a damp, dark hall, and all around her large shadows began to sway back and forth. 

Looking down at herself, Daine discovered that all over her body, blood trickled from shallow cuts, and bruises were beginning to form where the net had touched her skin.

As she looked up again she saw one of the largest shadows break away from the gloom and step into the faint circle of torchlight. The hooded figure stopped about three feet from her. Slowly he lowered his hood. 

In the light with no shadows to hide him he was a sight indeed. Daine, shaken with shock, covered her eyes to block the hideousness that loomed before her.

"Welcome Veralidaine, I have been waiting for you." Daine's body trembled with every word, and it wasn't until a hand, or was it a claw, forced her head up, and she was made to look into the shifting eyes of Carthak's former Emperor, Ozorne.

Ozorne's head, neck, and hands, which were all she could see of him, shifted constantly between human and stormwing shape. Only his mouth remained the same and that was frozen in an evil grin.


	3. Lying In Wait

****

Lying in Wait

Numair glared across the table at his king. "Jonathon, we must trace these Stormwings before they get too far. Every minute we waste here is one more to them and their evil plans."

King Jonathon of Tortall shifted in his chair, considering Numair's words. "Numair, we don't even know for sure what happened to Daine, so before we exhaust all our energies on one possibility, shouldn't we examine others first."

Numair rose with a sudden flare of impatience and anger, knocking his chair over. "Must I tell you once more! I found a stormwing feather in the pile of her cloths! These creatures don't malt. That feather was deliberately placed there; it's a message. Someone has her, and they want us to know it."

Jonathon looked down, avoiding Numairs eyes. With his face concealed, he murmured, "us, or you."

"What!" Numair breathed, "what are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything!" Jonathon rose from the table, "I'm merely observing that nothing happened to you, and, well, why risk your interference unless they wanted you to know they had her. They could have easily killed you as you slept, or waited until Daine was totally on her own. For, from what you've told me, you found her cloths no more than two hundred yards from your camp."

Sprawling his hands on the table, Numair narrowed his eyes, staring straight at Jonathon. "Just what is it that you're trying to say Jonathon?"

Jonathon heaved his chest in a great sigh. For a few moments he said nothing. He seemed to be searching Numairs eyes, trying to tell him without actually saying the words. Finally he spoke and his face winced, "I think I'm trying to tell you that Daine was taken because someone knew if she were, that you would follow, which is exactly what you're trying to do. And that is why, why I feel you should not go after her."

Numair sunk into another chair as though he'd just been hit. "Numair, please," Jonathon tried again. "You are to valuable to me, and to the realm. We need you, you're, you're of the utmost importance."

When he saw no response from Numair, he turned to face the window overlooking the moat. They stood that way, in silence, for several minutes before Numair spoke his voice full of bitterness. "And Daine isn't of importance, I was under the impression that we'd all be ashes right now if it wasn't for her and her part in the Immortals War. And you know, she does have a great deal of personal significance to me, as well as Onua, Alanna, even your own wife, she's important to them."

"Now Numair that's not what I said, what I sa-"

"What you said," Numair hissed, "what you said is that I should sacrifice my love, because at this moment you view me as important!"

At this Jonathon whirled around, "I'm not suggesting we sacrifice Daine for anyone, what I am suggestion is that before you rush off and get both of killed, hat we try to learn a little more about who, and what we're dealing with."

Numair sighed deeply; Jonathon walked over and set a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry sire, it's just unbearable for me to sit here and not do anything for her, the last time that happened I almost lost her."

"We're all blinded where those we love are concerned, and you're no different my friend." Jonathon said as he patted his shoulder.

"Thank you." Numair said as he turned to go. "I just don't know how long I'll be able to wait."

+++

Daine sat, curled up in a little ball at the base of a cage. She dared not touch the bars because like almost everything else in that hall of shadows, they were made of pure chaos. Chaos was probably the most dangerous thing to Daine, because if she came into contact with it, it tore holes in the very core of her wild magic.

She glared at the shifting form of Ozorne as he peered at her through the bars. "I thought I'd rid myself of you." She whispered her voice full of hatred and disgust.

"And so you would have, were it not for my lady Uusoae. Before she was put back in her prison she put a little of herself into me. Enough to out way my inner balance. I live, but I am more chaos than anything else." 

He reached out a claw/hand through the bars toward her. She shrank back and screamed. Abruptly he pulled his hand back. "This time, this time, neither of you will escape."

"Ne, ne, neither," she stuttered.

Then, realization struck her, she buried her face in her hands and let out a pitiful wail.

Suddenly she lifted her head from her hands and looked him straight in the eyes. "I'll do anything, anything you say, anything you want. Kill me, torture me, but please, can't you leave him be, people need him. I won't deny you your revenge. But couldn't you be satisfied with just me?"

"Oh no my dear, revenge is the punishing of those who have done you wrong, and no one has done me more wrong than my one time, said friend, Arram Draper. Besides, where you are going, I would not want to send you without company." Then suddenly, he reached out and placed his hand/claw on he arm. Before she realized what he'd done, she'd passed out again.


	4. Decisions, Decisions

****

Decisions, Decisions

"Numair, you can't do this, not by yourself, it's a suicide mission!" Alanna paced the stables as Numair saddled Spots. He looked up from securing his bags and Alanna read him like a book. What she saw were lines of weariness around his eyes from no sleep, and around his mouth, the lines of hatred, anger, and frustration. She could see exactly what her friend was feeling and thinking and it grieved her immensely. She admired Numair greatly and it hurt to see him so torn and pained. 

"I've waited too long. Jonathon thinks if we leave this thing alone long enough it'll go away on it's own, but it won't, it won't." He began to lead the horse out of the stall. As he walked by her, Alanna caught the horse's reins, forcing Numair to stop. 

"But think my friend, what good will you do her running off on your own like this." Alanna spoke with a voice full of pleading. She knew Numair was a powerful mage, but some how she knew, this was even greater than he was, and if he tried to take it on by himself, he would pay dearly, one way or another.

Jerking the reins away from her, Numair kept walking. When he got to the door to the stables he turned to look back at Alanna and said, "a lot more than if I just sit around here twiddling my thumbs. Besides, this locator spell won't last long."

Then, without looking back, he mounted Spots and rode into the blackness. Alanna watched his reseeding form until the night swallowed him up.

+++

Daine's strength was ebbing fast. It had become a game for Ozorne and his shadows. She never got a proper view of them, all she saw were shifting forms that would dart out of gloom to touch her, and though it might be just a light tap, each one was like a knife searing her soul. 

It had gotten to the point where she didn't even try to maintain consciousness, she simply drifted between waking and sleeping. Frankly, she preferred sleeping. In her sleep, she thought she saw visions of Numair, and Onua and Alanna, and all her other friends. And in her visions they were always trying to get to her and so close. She felt as though she could reach out and touch them, they were so close.

But then, just before she managed to reach them, she'd be ripped from her sleep into waking. Waking to the howling cackling voices of Ozorne and his shadows. As they watched her face, tormented with sadness and defeat. 

Many times she had begged Ozorne to end it all and kill her. She told him all she wanted was to rest, but each time he refused. And so she was thrown back into the vicious cycle of waking and sleeping, never in one long enough to gain solace. She felt like the Dream God, as he had appeared to her in her dreams during the Immortals War, one foot in calm controlled land, and the other in a wild overgrown mass that was sucking her down into it. And in between a giant chasm threatening to split wider and make her loose her footing. 

She tried to gather her strength through meditation, but when she did, she found she couldn't hold herself. There were so many holes and gaps in the well that was her wild magic, that she didn't have the strength to hold herself there. She tried to tell herself that Numair would come and he would have a solution to all this, that this would end like all the rest of their previous adventures; the two of them together and out of danger while their enemies suffered their due punishment. But somehow, this time it didn't seem very likely. Ozorne had succeeded in capturing and holding her, and Numair was nowhere to be found and she estimated that it had been a least three days since that morning in the grove. 

No, she had to finally conclude. This time would not be the same, this time she and Numair would be the ones to receive punishment. This time they would not escape. With this new spell of despair, Daine slipped back into sleep, hoping to renew her hopes in her dreams.

+++

Finally, when Numair had lost all patience with Jonathon and his sitting tight solution, he'd used his locket focus on Daine to construct a stronger, longer lasting location spell. What it did was expanded his connection with into a visible trail that he could follow, rather than immediately transporting him to Daine. 

While on one hand that was what he would have preferred, he wasn't as hot headed as his friends thought him. He knew just as well as they did that this was a trap for him, but that wasn't going to stop him from going. He also knew that he transported himself directly there, it would be playing into his unknown adversary's hands. If he blindly plunged himself into the depths of the enemy, he would not know who and what to expect. But if he picked his way there, gathering information as he went, he would be better armed for this final confrontation. 

Now as he rode silently along an old beaten forest trail near the place where he'd last seen Daine he mentally review all of his old enemies searching for one that would still be around and capable of acting on revenge. _Tristan Staghorn, dead. Inar Hadensra, dead. Alexander Reverire, a vegetable. Ozorne, dead and ROTTING! _And so on and so on. 

But when Numair came to the end of his list he still could not produce a former acquaintance who was capable of abducting his love without even managing to stir him in his sleep. There was also the steel feather to consider, and he turned his thoughts to that next. 

Clearly it had come from a Stormwing and it had been left on purpose. Of that much he was sure, but beyond that he was at a lose. Most Stormwings had a great respect, or as much as they were capable of, for Daine, because she had stood up for them at the council of the gods and had persuaded them to allow the Stormwings to stay in the mortal realms. Further more, Numair didn't think that Stormwings themselves would be capable to planning and executing such a plan. A Stormwing's interest rested for the most part on the dead, rather than the living. There must be someone behind this, someone who held the reins. 

And that thought was what jerked him back to himself. Because, almost as soon as the words "reins" had crossed his mind, he realized that, without Daine to remind him, he'd become engrossed and reverted back to his old habit of loosing his reins. What's more, Spots had become extremely agitated and was continually semi-rearing. 

Looking around for the first time in a while, Numair noticed a small patch of glittering silver light in front of him. _This must the cause of Spots agitation, _Numair thought. Pulling him back a little, Numair watched with fascination as the patch began to materialize into, what he registered after a few moments, as a familiar form. Daine's friend the Badger god. 

"Greetings Mage, now where is my young friend, I sensed she was near." The Badger looked around, clearly noticing the absence of Daine and Cloud.

Numair averted his eyes in a hurt gesture. It had been an innocent, expected remark, but all the same, it cut Numair to the quick. Pulling the chain from his pocket he held it out for the Badger's inspection. "This must have been what you sensed, Daine is not here, and I don't know where she is."

The Badger waddled forward and took the claw from Numair's outstretched hand. He held it in his paw for a moment before closing it into a grim fist. "Why would my kit leave my claw with _you _mage?" There was a new, bitter edge to the Badger's tone, but Numair was not offended. He could clearly spot the animal god's error, he assumed that Daine had willingly left his claw with Numair, either as a lovers token, or as a means of avoiding him.

Knowing of the god's deep affection for Daine, and how much this idea hurt him, Numair immediately attempted to put the god's mind at ease. "She did not leave it with me Badger, or at least not willingly. She was kidnapped several weeks ago. On the morning I discovered her gone, we were in that grove over there," Numair said indicating the enclosed area over to his left. "I awoke and found her gone. I went searching for her and all I found was a pile of her cloths, her necklace, and a steel feather, Neither I, nor anyone else has heard anything from Daine or her abductors since then."

After that, the Badger's face displayed an odd display of emotions. If it was possible, his face seemed to both lift and drop lower still at the same time. But Numair got the gist, he was happy that Daine had not purposely given away his gift, but was also worried that she had been abducted and no one was able to locate her. 

He muttered to himself for several minutes before saying clearly, "Weiryn must hear of this, I must go back to him and Sarra at once, but after that, I will do my best to find Daine." Tossing the claw that, till this moment he had kept clutched in his fist, back to Numair he added, "and you mage, hold on to that, I will need it to get back to you, as I have no idea where you intend on heading."

Numair deftly caught the claw and wound the chain around his wrist, next to the locket. Nodding absently, he said, "neither do I, neither do I." But when he looked back to the Badger, he was already gone.

+++

Daine awoke from yet another pleasant dream of escape and safety by what she would later have described as a loud gong, which, other than dragging her back to cruel reality, had little affect on her. It continued at regular intervals, Daine found it annoying, but it didn't bother her too much, it was a noise, and she'd heard many in her life, plenty worse than this. But Ozorne, who she could now see at the far end of the hall, as well as all the other shadows, was clutching his ears and moaning as if he'd never heard such a terrible sound in all his life.

Sitting up with a renewed interest, Daine watched this strange scene. It seemed that everything from the hall walls, to Ozorne's ever changing hands, to the bars of her cage, were rippling uncomfortably. She didn't understand how this could be happening, but she thought she rather enjoyed it. It was a meager revenge, but still enough to satisfy her present thirst.

As Ozorne glanced up in between tremors, he saw Daine, sitting straighter than ever, look cool, aloof and unaffected. She caught his eye, shrugged her shoulders and smirked. 

This was too much for Ozorne, letting out a shriek of dismay, he pointed his hand/claw at a near by wall and blasted it with power. The tremors stopped almost immediately, but other than Daine, the occupants of the hall were visibly affected. Ozorne barked something Daine could hear to a shadow standing by it. Daine leaned forward as far as she dared without touching the bars and was able to hear a few broken words, "couldn't be him, wouldn't have the strength to last, must renew the wall, see to it that no one else finds there way." Daine wanted to hear more, she was totally perplexed by what had just occurred, but before she had the chance to catch any more the shadow left to do Ozorne's bidding.

+++

Weiryn and Sarra sat in the back of the cottage, both too absorbed in their own thoughts and fears to talk to the other. It had been several hours since the Badger had first appeared in their doorway, announcing that he feared Daine was in grave danger. He had given them a broken retelling before telling Weiryn he would go look for her and would come back when he had something more to report. 

Then as with an odd sounding "pop" the Badger appeared and almost immediately sprawled out on the rug he had landed on. His fur looked lighter and sparser than it had when he'd spoken to them earlier that day. He seemed to be covered in sweat, and he was trying very hard to catch his breath. 

Sarra glanced at Weiryn who motioned to the well outside the back door. Quickly she rushed out and returned with a bowl full of water. She laid it carefully next the Badger than stepped back as he rolled onto his stomach and lapped gratefully. 

They hardly waited till he was finished before Weiryn was upon him. "What happened, what did you find out!" The god had to hold himself back from grabbing the Badger and shaking an answer out of him. 

Inhaling deeply, the Badger prepared to tell what he'd seen. "I tracked her through your blood sign," the Badger said, nodding at Weiryn. "It takes much longer, but she's lost my claw, so I have no way to link myself directly to her. Anyway, when I'd finally traced her I transported myself there. But I found myself outside a massive stone structure. I searched for an entrance, but there was none. So I tried hurling my magic at the wall. But I just lost my magic. Weiryn," the Badger clutched the god's ankle with his paw. "Weiryn, the wall was chaos, pure chaos. Someone has found a way of using Uusoae's power and they've constructed and entire hall of it and your daughter is trapped in it."

Weiryn moved away, but the Badger put up his paw. "There's more Weiryn, the human mage, the one who was here, he's gone after her, by himself. He has a locator spell to find her. But Weiryn, if he tried to penetrate the wall, his balance will be disturbed and he will die instantly. But he's our only hope, neither of you can leave here, and I am far to weak to do anything by myself."

At this Sarra lost herself to tears and fled to her garden. Weiryn turned to watch her go, his face grim set. "So, we have already lost."

The Badger had managed to pull himself to his feet. "No Weiryn, not yet, not if we don't give up."

Weiryn turned around to look at the Badger, he seemed very old as all men seem to appear in times of distress. He sighed and walked back to the Badger, "you have a plan then?"

The Badger nodded, "Yes, but we will need Sarra too, and it will take a great deal of maneuvering, but I fear it is our only hope."

"What is it?" Weiryn asked, his voice guarded.

The Badger beckoned him closer and the two began to whisper.


	5. Strange Powers

**Strange Powers**

Numair kept walking, following the steady ribbon that extended, seemingly endless, in front of him.The Badger had returned and he had waited for several hours.Once again growing restless, he had decided to move on and when the Badger decided to reappear, he could find him.He had no idea where he was headed; the ribbon of light made random twists and turns, now on the path, now not, making it impossible for Numair to figure out any pattern or direction. But part of him was grateful for this, he was too upset and enraged to trust his instincts or knowledge, he was better off just mindlessly following the set path of his locator spell.

Over and over in his mind as he walked, Numair killed the, as yet nameless fiend who had been so cruel as to take his love.He imagined slow suffocating spells, and beatings with his own hands, soon he had made a game of it, trying to decide, just how he would make the villain pay.

So engrossed with images of his victory, Numair did not see the rather large rock that jutted out in the path until it was too late.Tripping over it, he went flying, spreading his arms wide in an attempt to break his fall.They did to some degree, but not much.He landed face first in the dirt, his arms wide on either side.Bracing his hands on the ground, he tried to pull himself up.But when he lifted his head the sight that met his eyes was enough to make him collapse again.

Looming up before him was a gigantic mass of what appeared to be black, shiny, smooth stone, and his ribbon of light led right to it.He shuddered involuntarily, what force could make a fortress such as this.Getting up at last, he went to examine the place.He walked the perimeter twice and was unable to find any entrance.A tried a third time, this time running his hand along the wall, testing it with his gift.

It appeared to be composed of a magic he had never encountered before, yet somehow it seemed faintly familiar.But even with his magic, he could not find any sort of entrance.About to go look around the surrounding area, the hand that he had been resting on the wall suddenly gave in.Numair turned startled to see a huge black hole, black than the stone itself, expanding quickly._That's odd, _he thought _I never saw that, and my gift didn't detect it either, what kind of magic is this._

Part of him knew that this was probably a trap, but the part of him screamed that Daine was in there, so it didn't matter if it was a trap he had to go.Squaring himself to the wall, he took a deep breath and put his hand out in front of him, and began to walk forward.

Just as his form began to disappear into the hole, the Badger god appeared behind Numair.He too knew this was a trap, but he also knew that if Numair went in there without knowing what he was about to face, it could ruin their plans.At the top of his lungs, he screamed for Numair to stop, but Numair couldn't hear him, and disappeared into the black expanse without another thought.

+++

_ _

The Badger kicked the dirt with his paw._Stupid mage, couldn't wait could you, could exercise just a little patience or prudence.NO!Had to rush right in and be the big hero._Kicking the dirt once more, he said aloud, "well, I'd better get back to Weiryn, we'll have to act fast."

+++

Numair found himself in a dark, dank hallway.Lit by feeble torches, the walls dripped an unpleasant colored looking liquid.Steadying himself, he continued ahead, trying not to look back at the place where the hole had been, there was not question about it he couldn't turn back now.

_ _

__As he got further in, he thought he heard soft murmurings, but he couldn't tell for sure, he was very tired, he'd been almost three days without sleep and was not as sharp as usual.But as he got closer, the murmurings grew louder and louder until he couldn't deny it any more, there was a great number of people of beings up ahead.

This place, whatever it was, was making him uncomfortable.The walls around him, which seemed to be getting decisively narrower, pulsed with the strange magic he had detected on the outer edge.He had a feeling reminiscent of being suffocated and felt like he was getting very claustrophobic, _think of Daine, _he thought as he gritted his teeth, _she needs you now, don't let her down._

_ _

+++

The Badger appeared in Weiryn's doorway, his face clouded with rage."That impertinent, idiotic mortal!No more patience than a Nat!Just barges right in there, no thought to anything else going on!"Using language that made even Weiryn look up, the Badger cursed Numair as he waddled across the floor to the Hunter god.

"What has happened now?"Weiryn asked, with a voice that sounded like he already had an idea.

"That stupid man went in before I could tell him what was going on.He has no idea what he's going to face, and to salvage the situation, we will have to move quickly."The Badger was already making for the door again, and without another word, Weiryn and Sarra both got up and followed him.

They walked out of the house and down the road to where a large pool stood in the air, it's expanse rippling in the breeze.Weiryn looked down at the Badger, his face grave."You're sure this will work Badger, we won't kill him, or her, or us for that matter?"

The Badger examined his claws critically, "if we do it right, it should work, but I have never done this before, there will be some risks, no matter how careful we are."

Weiryn turned to Sarra, his eyes full of concern, but she only nodded gravely."Well, I never got to be much of a mother, I guess this is the least I can do for my child."But behind Sarra's resolution, Weiryn and the Badger could detect a note of fear in her voice.

"Right then, let's get ready, like you said Badger, we don't have much time now."Weiryn said, turning back to the pool that stood in front of them.Looking in, they could see the dark halls and Numairs back.They could also see that up ahead, the light was growing stronger.

"Nearly there," Sarra muttered softly.

+++

Numair could see light ahead.He hesitated for a moment, trying to gather himself.He had no idea what was waiting for him beyond that archway."Daine," he mumbled under his breath, "just think about Daine."And, measuring his steps as though they were his last, Numair slowly covered the distance between himself and the archway.Reaching it, he hid himself behind a pillar carved out of the wall, trying to get a look around to find out where Daine was.

+++

Daine sat stiff in her cage.She'd been awake for several hours after the odd incident with the walls.Though she had not been threatened by it.She didn't feel safe trying to get back to sleep either.Whatever had caused the walls to shake and pulse like that must have been pretty powerful, and if they were trying to get in, who knew what they would try next?

Hugging her knees to her, she thought about what she had had planned for her life.She had just made up her mind a few days earlier to accept Numair proposal.For more reasons than one, she'd been ready to fully commit herself.She thought bitterly back to the very morning of her capture.She'd been imaging her life, as it would be.A wife, possibly a mother, happy, at peace.Yes, she was ready for that; she was ready to spend the rest of her life with the only man she'd ever loved.

But all those hopes and dreams had been shattered the moment she'd seen Ozorne's face looming smugly before her.Now there would be no marriage, no children, and no happiness.Just darkness, fear, and death.Bowing her head over her knees, she wept bitterly.She wept for all that she had lost, and all that she would loose.It wouldn't be long now.Ozorne would manage to trap Numair some how, he attack was too well planned to miss.Numair would fall right into his net, just as she had.Then she would have to watch him die, watch them be separated once and for all.

Daine was so caught up in her thoughts of misery and defeat that she didn't even notice the miniscule pebble that hit her bare arm.However, when she felt a sharp jolt to her arm, she looked up, looked up into deep brown eyes, ringed with red from crying or lack of sleep or both.She let out a gasp that made Ozorne look up.His eyes evilly suspicious, he crossed from his chair over to her cage at the center of the room.Quickly, she drew back from the bars, trying to keep as much distance between herself and Ozorne.

+++

When Ozorne left his chair to come and stand next to Daine's cage, Numair knew this was his chance.Jumping from behind the pillar, he threw his hands out and let all his magic pour out of his hands and he chanted in the ancient language he'd been taught in his younger years in Carthak.But what poured from his fingers almost frightened him into stopping.For what should have been gray, pearly color magic was, instead, a large braid of pearly gray, white, silver, and deep green.

But before he could do anything about it, the braid of power hit Ozorne, square in the back and he arched back, letting out a shriek of pain.Daine too screamed, shoving herself so far back in her cage that she pressed against the bars and in a moment had passed out cold, her hand dropping lifeless of the edge of the cage.

When Numair turned his attention back to Ozorne, he saw something very odd happening.His whole body glowed, but right down the middle of his front, from his forehead to where his torso split, a deep line of blood red light shone brightly.There was a flare of light, and Ozorne seemed to have exploded from the inside out, leaving nothing but a thick patch of red smoke in the air where he'd been.

Numair dropped his hands, his face and shirt drenched in sweat.He used the last of his strength to rush over to Daine who was lying limp on the ground, her cage having disappeared along with its creator.Kneeling beside her, Numair cradled her in his arms.Slowly, he stood up, Daine in his arms, and headed back toward the hall from which he had come.He knew the way he had come in was blacked now, but he had no where else to go, and something deep inside him told him he had to get Daine out of there.

So he retraced his steps along the grimy, dim hallways, praying he'd find another way out.But as he continued down the hall, he subconsciously noted that the hall seemed to be getting lighter, instead of darker, but took real notice of it.

That is, until he turned a final time a found himself face to face with a vast hole, large enough for him to walk through without even ducking his head.Not thinking twice, he stepped through and out into the afternoon sun.Turning back, he looked at what had been the large black mass that looked so towering when he had first found it, and saw, to his amazement that it was vanishing right before his eyes.

Normally, Numair would have been fascinated by this and would have stopped to investigate, but now all he wanted was to get Daine as far away from this place as possible.But she was still unconscious, and he had very little strength left.So he settled for getting about a mile and a half away from the place in a small forest.Laying Daine on the ground, he took off his shirt and put it under her head to support her, as he had no supplies or anything else with him, since he'd left all the bags with Spots and Spots had trotted off when Numair had left him to go inside.Settling down next to her, he hugged her close and breathed in the scent of her hair, _oh how I've missed you, _he thought as he buried his face in the nap of her neck, _I'm never going to let anything happen to you again,_ and that was his last thought before he drifted into a much-needed sleep.

Author's note:

This is NOT the end, there's much more to go yet, so please don't stop reading.And as always, I love comments and suggestions, so please feel free.

Thanks for reading


	6. Shadows & Secrets

Shadows & Secrets ****

Shadows & Secrets

Numair awoke to find Daine gone from under his arm. For a moment, he feared she'd been kidnapped again. But his fears were quickly dispelled when he looked up to see her a few feet away, leaning her head on a large tree, her back to him. Gingerly Numair got up and stretched his aching muscles. Walking over to her, he put his hands on Daine's shoulders. "Maglet…" Numair spoke softly, but faltered, unsure of what to say at a time like this. But all possible words evaporated when he registered the ragged sob that escaped Daine's lips. 

Quickly he turned her around to discover her face stained by countless tears, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. He was taken aback momentarily, but soon recovered, pulling her to him. She buried her face in his chest and began to sob uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking violently. Uncertain of what to do, Numair cautiously placed his hands on Daine's back, trying to sooth her as best he could.

Then Daine looked up and into his face, "I'm so sorry," she wailed and buried her face back in his chest.

Now Numair was really at a loss, trying to sound at ease he said, "Sorry? Daine, you have nothing to be sorry for. It is for Ozorne to be sorry, sorry that he kidnapped you and tried to kill both of us." Letting go of his hold on her, he held her at arm's length, slightly squatting so that they were at eye level. "Maglet, you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to be sorry for."

Daine would not look at him, and when he said these last words she broke out of his grasp and turned her back to him again. Trying desperately to control her voice, her next words came in between the sobs she was attempting to suppress. "But… But it was I… I who lost… Lost our baby… Lost your son." And with that she ran, darted through the trees and out of sight.

+++

Numair stood stunned, numbly, he fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands. _Baby, his baby, his son. _The words seemed to echo with a sickening repercussion inside his head. Suddenly, unbidden, images began to emerge behind his closed eyelids. Images of a small child. A child with black hair and fair complexion, a child with piercing blue gray eyes and a stubborn chin, a child that he his father's coloring and prominent nose, but his eyes, his chin, his mouth were clearly his mothers. 

So Ozorne had won, despite it all, he had won. For his aim had been to destroy those whom Numair cared for and he had done that. He had succeeded in killing Numair's first born his son. 

But as he knelt on the forest floor, Numair began to become resigned to his grief. And with that resignation came the surfacing of other thoughts, and all at once his mind bombarded him with thousands of questions. _Why hadn't Daine told him she was pregnant earlier? How could have not noticed on his own, after all, they'd been together over two years, and he felt he knew her habits and cycles well enough that he should have been able to notice if one hadn't come? Why had he not been more careful to begin with, it wasn't as though he didn't know the dangers of lying with a woman not yet his wife, why had he not taken more care to prevent something like this happening till they were both ready? Why had he been so foolish and cocksure as to let her fall into Ozorne's hands in the first place? Why had she sounded so sure that their unborn child had been a boy? _And on and on it went.

Numair knew he should get up and find her right now. He should find her and demand a complete explanation. He should go to her so that they could mourn their loss together. He should go and comfort her, try and ease the immense pain she must be feeling. He should do all of those things, yet he still knelt on the ground, not moving a muscle, his shock was so great that he did not have it in him to move, even for Daine. 

+++

Daine had no idea where she was running, only that she had to get away. Away from all the hurt and anger she must have caused Numair. Finally, coming upon a shallow pond she stopped and flopped down next to it. She vaguely considered shape shifting to a fish or bird or something, but found that she did not have the energy. So instead she settled for lying down beside the waters edge and expelling the last of her tears.

She had failed Numair, lost his child, their child. She had awoken that morning, determined to finally tell him, only to look down and see the sticky mess of red along her legs and pooling on the ground beneath her. She was no healer, no medic, but she knew enough to know what that meant. It meant that she had, for whatever reason, miscarried her child. 

In a sudden burst of anger she pounded to ground with her fist. She felt so worthless. She had failed to protect her own offspring and now she had lost him. When her mother had first come to her, telling Daine that she was carrying a fine, healthy son, Daine had been so proud, could not wait to tell Numair that he was to have a son. But then, as she had made to tell him, she passed through the hallways of the palace and seen the noble women visibly snub her. Among her competition for Numair, she was not regarded well. But those sneers and whispered comments so thinly veiled had sown the seed of doubt in her. _What if Numair was not pleased at his impending fatherhood? For, if he did not marry her, their child would be born a bastard and everyone would shun her. _

Ever since then, Daine had put off telling him, knowing that she would have to eventually. In fact she had made up her mind to tell him the very morning she was kidnapped. But now it didn't matter. He knew and the child was lost all her hopes and dreams seemed in shambles. Numair would not want her anymore, would regard her as a risk, for, if he could beget a child on her once, what was to stop it happening again and trapping him into marriage with her. 

So immersed was Daine in her grief, that she didn't notice the shadows that were slowly rising and engulfing the trees flanking her.

+++

Numair finally found enough sense to get up and go after Daine. They needed to sort this thing out together. Walking slowly, it did not take him long to pick up her trail. In her suffering she had been careless, not caring to see that she didn't leave a trail. As it was, it was easy for Numair to follow the trail of broken twigs and treaded grass. Turning a last corner, he found her, still lying next to the pond. Mindfully he approached her, not wanting to stir her into a fresh wave of anguished sorrow. Kneeling beside her, he pulled her seemingly limp body to him and cradled her, rocking back and forth slightly. 

For a while the stayed like that, sharing their shared loss. Finally, Numair lifted his head and looked at her. "You could have told me," he whispered.

Daine moved back slightly and wiped her face on her sleeve. This got a chuckle from Numair, "you never learn, do you?" And with that he pulled a handkerchief from the inside of his sleeve. Gently, as though she a small child, he held her while he dipped the linen into the water and tenderly washed her face. 

When he was satisfied, he set the handkerchief aside and turned his attention back to her face, waiting for her answer. Not wanting to look at him, Daine busied herself toying with the laces of his tunic. "I was not overly sure you would be pleased with my news, I had only just worked up the courage to finally tell you on the morning I was captured."

Numair laid her head against his chest, absently running his fingers through her hair. "You need not have worried, I would have been overjoyed, had I not found out in these particular circumstances. How did you know it was going to be a boy?"

Daine let her hand drop, trying to keep her voice steady. "The Green Lady came to me, she said I was carrying your child, and that it was a fine healthy boy." 

Numair's hand halted in its path through Daine's hair, "your mother, well that's great."

"No, no," Daine stopped him, "she was very happy for us, and she said da was too."

"And I still am, " said a voice that seemed to come from the pond.

Both Daine and Numair jumped slightly. Crawling from Numair's lap, Daine moved to look into the pool. "Ma, is that you?" Daine asked squinting her eyes.

"Yes sweet, it is," Sarra said as Numair joined Daine in staring into the pool.

"What do you mean, 'still am,'" Daine asked.

"I mean sweet, that you haven't lost your baby, you might say he just left for a while." Sarra smiled knowingly, but her smile dropped when she saw the pain in her daughter's face.

"But, the blood, I saw the blood." Daine persisted, what was her mother talking about.

"Well," now Sarra was stumbling, this wasn't going as she'd planned. "You saw blood because your body was responding to the baby's absence. It was just that he was absent because I removed him." Sarra's face turned crimson red and she looked away from the image of her daughter and Numair.

Numair's face was also turning red, but his from rage, loosing control he bellowed at the image of Sarra, "Why did you take him!"

Sarra turned her gaze on Daine, her eyes imploring her daughter to understand, but Daine's only response was a blank stare. "I took him sweet, because I thought you were in danger and I didn't want you to loose my grandson, so I removed him from you. And it's a good thing I did, because if you had carried that baby while you were imprisoned, you would have lost him, and then there would have been nothing I could do to help."

"But we have lost him!" Daine's voice rose into a wail. "I'm not carrying him anymore, what am I going to carry around an egg for the next seven months! How am I going to give birth now!" Daine flung herself away from the image of her mother, burying her face in Numair's shoulder.

Sarra sighed deeply, then continuing, explained, "dearest, I can replace him any time with my magic, it will be as though you have always been carrying him."

Wiping her eyes, Daine turned her head out of Numair's shoulder, but still did not look at her mother. "But how can that be, how can an unborn child survive outside it's mother?"

"I took him out with my magic, I'm a minor goddess of child birth, remember, I can do this sort of stuff. You might say that your son's time clock has frozen. He's not growing or developing anymore, but he's not dead either, he's just waiting till your ready to take him back."

"What do you mean, 'till we're ready to take him back?'" Numair asked, one eyebrow slightly raised in a questioning look.

Now Sarra huffed in annoyance, this whole thing was getting to be more trouble than it was worth. "What I mean is, your son isn't going anywhere, so, if you wanted to wait, wait till you were married, or at least both ready for the baby, I can hold him till then, you just have to tell me when you want him back."

Daine and Numair exchanged a quick glance, and then both looked at Sarra and said simultaneously, "now!"

Sarra gulped, she wasn't so sure about this. "You're sure, cause once I put him back, you're on your own, I can never remove him again, and you'll be subject to all the regular dangers of child baring."

Numair placed his arm protectively around Daine's waist and answered for both of them, "we're sure, we want our son back now."

Sarra turned to Daine and looked her directly in the eyes, Daine inhaled deeply and picked her chin up. "We're sure ma, besides, it's not like I wouldn't be at risk for all the regular problem of motherhood anyway. We were supposed to have our son now, it's only fair that we do."

Sarra couldn't see it, but Daine had begun to lean heavily against Numair. She thought what she was doing was right, but she needed to be sure he felt the same way. Now, she turned her back to her mother so only Numair could hear what she was saying and whispered, "are you sure, if I have your baby now, people will sneer at you, make fun of you. And your son, he'll be considered a bastard, are you willing to face that, cause if you're not, we can wait."

Numair sighed and pushed some of Daine's stray hair out of her face, then he broke out into a wide smile. "Are you kidding, this is great, for almost two years I've been trying to get you to marry me, I say this is the perfect opportunity."

"You're sure," Daine looked at him seriously, "cause once we do this, there's no going back, we're stuck with each other."

Numair took Daine's head in both of his hands and shook it gently. "Daine, I wanted to marry after I killed Inar Hadensra, I wanted to marry you after that, I want to marry you now, I will always want to marry you. You are the only woman I could ever love, and live with. Now, will you stop being so damned obstinate, and agree to marry me?!"

Daine laughed and threw her arms around Numair's neck, "yes, yes I'll marry you."

"Good!" Numair exclaimed. "Then wear this." And with that he removed a chain from his neck that Daine had never noticed before. He unclasped it and slid what appeared to be a very small band off it. He picked up her left hand and slid the ring on her ring finger, it fit perfectly.

"Numair!" she gasped, "this is beautiful. Where did you get this."

Numair pulled her to him and laughed into her hair, "it's none of your business where I got it."

Daine was eyeing it critically, "What's it made of?" She asked.

"It's a hollowed out opal, and it'll never break or fade." He explained taking her hand in his.

A rather to loud cough reminded them that Sarra was still in the pool. Turning back, Daine said firmly, "we're sure ma, we want our son back NOW."

"Very well," Sarra said, "but once it's done I want both of you to get out of here, you're not out of danger yet, those shadows are growing and I think they're going to begin consuming things. I'd hate for their first victims to be you."

At hearing this, Daine and Numair looked at each other, both alarmed at this news. But before they could discuss it, there was a blaze of light from the pool, and all of a sudden Daine felt like she'd been head butted in the stomach. She fell back against Numair who caught her and stood them both up.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his face full of concern.

"Yeah," Daine massaged her stomach, "I think I have the baby back now."

"Can you walk." Numair said as he supported her back to a rock where she sat down and caught her breath.

"I'm fine, but I think we should get out of here soon, if what ma said is true, we have to get back and worn Jonathon and Thayet immediately."

Numair looked around warily, "my thoughts exactly, so, lets get started."

"Right," said Daine as she hauled herself off the rock. "The sooner we get back to Tortall, the better." She looked around them, she could see the shadows clouding the spaces between the trees. Automatically she sought Numair's hand. When she gripped it, she discovered it was covered in cold sweat.

"Let's go," was all he said. But he didn't need to say more, Daine understood his thinking perfectly without having him explain it. So, hands clasped, the walked away from the pool and back towards the main road. Not daring to look back as the shadows began to leak over into the pond and all the surrounding wildlife, polluting it with chaos essence. 


	7. Names & Nemeses

Names & Nemeses   
Rushing through the trees as best they could, Daine and Numair made their way back to the horses. By now Cloud had found them, she'd broken out of the stables about half a day after Numair had left and stayed on his trail, knowing that if he saw her, he would make her go back. Not that she was worried about what the stork man might do, but she knew he was under a great deal of stress, and would not be able to deal with her.  
  
When Daine saw her, she ran up to her and buried her face in Cloud's mane. You should not act so silly, it has only been a few days since you have seen me, stop being foolish and pull yourself together so we can leave! Cloud sounded disinterested, but as Daine watched her pony give her a thorough examination to be sure she was safe, Daine knew she cared a little more than she showed.   
  
But on the whole Daine agreed with Cloud, she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. So, backing away from the pony, Daine wiped her eyes on her sleeve and mounted her. Turning her head, she saw Numair enacting his usual ritual of struggling to mount his horse. For all that she had been through, the sight of her long love scrambling over his horse's back, legs off the ground desperately fumbling for foot holds brought tears of laughter to her eyes.  
  
When he finally achieved a sitting position he looked over at Daine and glared at her. "I'd like to see you mount gracefully with two legs over three feet long! If you're done jeering at me, can we PLEASE LEAVE!"  
  
Daine nodded and gently nudged Cloud into a trot, they would all feel better when they were away from this place.  
  
+++  
  
As they rode on, Daine was greatly unnerved by what she thought she heard. Since they had left the clearing near midday, a rather fierce wind had picked up, blowing her hair until she tied it down with one of her handkerchiefs. She did not seem to be able to hear any animal voices, though she stretched her magic as far as she dared. But what she did hear, was a sort of eerie whisper that seemed to come from the leaves of the trees that flanked the road on which they traveled.   
  
On and on all afternoon, she heard the same thing, "nowhere to run to, no place to hide. We WILL find you, we WILL defeat you. There is no escape, no hope, you are lost." Again and again, but when Daine tried to focus on the sound, try to hone in on the words, all she heard was normal forest sounds, though still no people detectable.   
  
Trying again to locate a source, Daine did not notice Numair ride up next to her until she felt a gentle hand on her knee. Jumping slightly, she turned to see what it was she had felt. Looking into Numair's eyes, she saw worry, a worry unlike any that she'd ever seen in his face. This was a worry that had no focus, no purpose, simply a feeling that something was coming, but unknowing of what it was.   
  
Daine tried to find something to say, but could find nothing. "I know," he whispered, "I can hear it too, we'd best try to get back to Corus as soon as possible. Are you up for an all night ride, or do you need to stop and rest?"  
  
Daine looked behind them, seeing the darkening sky and the wild wind, she shook her head. Yes, she was tired, but she could never get any rest while they were out here, they needed to get home.  
  
"Right then," he said, suddenly sounding all business, "we'd better pace ourselves then, let me know if you start to get sleepy, you can ride with me for a while, till you feel more awake." Leaning over again, he stoked her cheek softly and gave her a quick kiss, "don't worry Magelet, we're going to make it, I promise." Pulling Spots back, he slowed the pace slightly and continued, muttering to himself in a way that Daine knew meant he was reviewing their options should they run into any unwanted situations on the duration of their passage home.   
  
As they continued on, Daine's thoughts started to drift back to the grove and the things her mother had said. Absently, she stroked her stomach, amazed that it could still feel so normal with all that was going on inside. She started to image the rest of her life, but each time she tried to create in her mind a happy, peacefully scenario dark angry clouds consumed it, destroying everything. Giving up, she turned her thoughts to names for the baby. It was a boy, her mother had made that quite clear. She started with names of her friends, 'Evin, Kaddar, George, Jonathon, Thom, Myles, Sarge.' None seemed to fit. Those names all had identities already attached to them, and she wanted her son to have his own identity, not to spend his life trying to live up to someone else's.  
  
Next she thought of some of the names she'd heard among the people, 'Fleet Foot, Brokefang, Swift Legs, Gold wing.' After only a few of those, she knew she would find no name suitable for her son there. 'So,' she thought, 'where else can I find names.' Now she thought back to names she'd read in books and scrolls or heard in distant conversations, names that had no faces. 'Azriel, Durant, Evander, Caspian, Godfrey, Owain, Lowell, Phelan.' Considering each one, she could not decide, so she repeated them out loud.  
  
"What are those?" Numair asked  
  
"Former lovers," Daine threw over her shoulder. "Names for the baby silly, lord, why else would I be rambling off male names, since we're on the subject, which one do you like the best?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he said, "say them again."  
  
Drawing a deep breath, Daine repeated her list, "Azriel, Durant, Evander, Caspian, Godfrey, Owain, Lowell, and Phelan."   
  
Numair was quiet for a few moments, mulling the choices over in his mind. Finally he said, "do you know where the last one came from?"  
  
Now it was Daine's turn to think, finally she recalled where she'd heard that name. "It's a Bahzir name, it means little wolf."  
  
"Well that's perfect, any son of ours is bound to be a wolf, one way or another." He smiled brightly at her, giving her a hearty wink.  
  
"Only one problem," Daine mused, "any son of ours isn't likely to stay little for very long."  
  
He laughed at that, ending in wiping multiple tears from his eyes. "Yes, but he'll always be little next to his dad," Numair leaned forward in the saddle, appearing even larger than he really was. "I like that name, Phelan it is."  
  
Numair then launched into a great long explanation of why their son would be such a wolf, one way or another. Daine only smiled and patted her stomach, whispering, "well, that's one less thing to worry about."  
  
+++  
  
After riding straight through the night, Daine and Numair managed to reach the castle in Corus around nine the next morning. By then Daine was riding on Spots in front of Numair while Cloud trailed obediently behind. Her head was just beginning to sag against Numair's shoulder when a great deal of commotion brought her back to full awareness.   
  
They had stopped just outside the palace stables, and it wasn't long before the palace animals, and then everyone else, realized who was here. Spots had barely stopped before a virtual mob was descending upon him and his riders.   
  
Daine opened her eyes long enough to see kitten, Tkaa, Onua, Alanna, Thayet, and Lindhall Reed heading the large group that was quickly surrounding them.  
  
Numair slid off Spots and turned just in time to catch Daine as she unsuccessfully tried to dismount herself. She'd kept her guard up till they were well inside the city walls, and only then had she allowed herself the little rest that riding with Numair allowed. Now that they were home and safe, she gave up completely and let the exhaustion of her ordeal over take her. Numair scooped her up in his arms and immediately started for their rooms, trusting the care of Cloud and Spots to one of the stable hands. He answered a few of Onua, Lindhall, and Thayet's questions as they walked. But when they reached Numair and Daine's rooms, he dismissed all but those three, Kitten, Tkaa, and Jonathon who had joined the group on its trudge through the palace halls.   
  
Letting himself in, he laid Daine down on their bed and motioned for Onua to find her some clean cloths. While the others waited in Numair's workroom, Onua and he stripped her travel worn, tattered cloths and changed her into a clean night shift before putting her to bed properly and leaving her to her rest.  
  
As Onua took Daine's old cloths out to give to the Laundry Mistress, she noted substantial bloodstains in the crotch area of Daine's breeches, traveling down the insides of the legs. Holding them out for Numair's inspection, her eyes demanded an answer.   
  
Numair put a hand on Onua's, saying, "it's not what you might think, but I'll explain everything in there."  
  
Trusting her friend's word, Onua disposed of the soiled breeches and joined the others in Numair's workroom. Shutting the door behind her, she took a seat on the edge of the table that stood on the wall next to the door and listened to the conversation that had already begun.  
  
"It was Ozorne," Numair was saying.  
  
"But how," Alanna demanded, "Daine killed him during the battle at Port Legann, how could he have come back?"  
  
"According to Daine," Numair said gravely, "Chaos made him into a chaos vessel so he could survive and he came back to take his revenge."  
  
"If he was Chaos, then how can you be sure you've finished him Numair?" Jonathon asked.  
  
Numair was in the middle of shrugging his shoulders when a deep green light began to shimmer and the figures of Daine's father and badger appeared in the middle of the room, causing the present company to jump to the edges of the room.  
  
Weiryn's voice echoed strangely through the small room as he said, "because we gave this human mage aide to make sure he succeeded."   
  
Now everyone was thoroughly puzzled, though Weiryn seemed to feel he'd explained himself quite thoroughly. It was the Badger who came to everyone's aid, adding, "Myself, Weiryn, and Sarrah all added our magic to Numairs to counteract Ozorne's chaosness. We gods have no chaos in our essence, which is the thing that really separates us from you mortals. Since We were three ordered and a half against one chaos, we clearly had enough power to destroy him, however, he was not alone to begin with, and that is what you must worry about now."  
  
Numair had regained some of his senses, enough so that when the Badger mentioned the others with Ozorne, something finally clicked in his mind. "You mean the shadows that have been coming behind us since we left the grove."  
  
Weiryn nodded solemnly, and the Badger continued, "you are wise mage. Those shadows are what remains of Uuasoe's army. She allowed Ozorne to return and take his revenge on Numair with the understanding that he would then lead her shadows down to Corus to consume that, and then all the rest of Tortall. And branch out from there."  
  
"Great Goddess!" Thayet breathed, "what are we to do."   
  
"You must halt the shadows before they consume anything human." Weiryn said, his eyes drifting to the door, beyond which his daughter lay, oblivious to the danger that was coming ever closer to her.  
  
"How are we to do that." Alanna demanded her voice a little harsh.  
  
"That," Weiryn said, "we cannot help you with, we have no knowledge of how these shadows operate and of what would be of any use against them. We must go now, many things are happening back in the divine realms and we must be there. But first," he pointed at the Numair, "I wish a word with you mage, in private."  
  
Numair nodded gravely and gestured toward the door. Weiryn walked through it, and Numair followed, shutting it again behind him.  
  
They stood again in the bedroom, and Weiryn walked over to lean over his daughter. With a tenderness Numair would not have though possible from a man as fierce as Weiryn, the god reached out his hand to smooth his daughter's hair with the back of his hand. Looking up, he addressed Numair, but this time his voice was not as firm and foreboding as it had been in the other room.  
  
"I do not know what will happen. But I do know this, I love my child dearly, and she loves you. Sarrah has told me of her condition, and we have made a decision. We will watch and do all we can to help you and your friends, but should it get to a point where we feel hope is lost, we will pull you and Daine through so you will be safe."  
  
Numair looked at his hands, he'd expected Weiryn to be protective of Daine, but he never thought the god would care enough to take him to, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be removed like that, leaving his friends helpless.   
  
Meeting Weiryn's eyes, he tried to make his voice as firm and sure as possible. "It would be a great relief to me to know that should loosing be eminent that Daine and Phelan will be safe, but I cannot allow you to take me, I cannot abandon my friends and my king, no matter how dire the situation is."  
  
Weiryn glared at Numair, feeling his rage boil. Stepping out from beside the bed he stood face to face with Numair, they were just about the same height, but Weiryn's firmness made him appear the bigger. "Listen to me MORTAL! I was foolish enough to allow my child to grow up without a father; it almost ruined her, and certainly made her miserable. You will not make the same mistake with my grandchild. You have no choice, fight me all you want, I will win." And with that he disappeared, leaving Numair to his thoughts and fears.  
  
Walking over to the bed, he sat down on the edge and looked at Daine. For the first time since he had found her, she truly looked peaceful. She had no idea what was coming, what they might have to face. Stroking her cheek, he kissed her head lightly and stood, making for the workroom again.   
  
When he reached the door, he looked back at his bride to be again, and with his magic looked deeper, at the growing form that was their son. And in that instant, he vowed he would find a way to defeat these shadows, not for his king, or his county, not even for himself, but for his family and their future.   
   
  



End file.
